Improvement in heel-fastenings for skates



limiten STATES l Arena Genion.

H. N. GALLAGHER, OF GENEVA, NVV YORK.

Specification forming part o'fLetters Patent No. 3,4S6, dated July 12, 19.64.

To @ZZ whom, it may concern..-

Beit known that I, H. N. GALLAGHER, of Geneva, in the county of Ontario and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Heel-Fastenings for Skates57 and I do hereby declare that the following -is a full, clear, and exact de scriprtion thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a top view of a `skate with my invention applied. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the rearend of the same. Fig. 3 is a front end view of Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is a top view of another modication of the clamp b, which is pivoted to the t'ootpiece, and has but one clamping-screw. Fig. 5 is also a top View ot' still another modification ot' the clamp. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of Fig. 5, and showing a portion of the foot-piece.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several figures.

'To enable others to make and use my invention, I will describe its construction and oferation.

The shank of the crescent shaped plate d is let into the foot-piece and secured to it by a screw or otherwise. rlhe inner surface ot' the plate is roughened, as shown in Fig. 1. rIhe plate b is attached to the foot-piece F by screws through its shank c. Plate b has two projecting wings, through which the screws s operate. Each of these screws is provided with a pivoted clamping plate, a, which also has a roughened face.

The skate is applied to the boot by placing the heel between the platesa c and rl and thenl turning up the screws s by means ot' the key or pin 1J, the screw-heads, each being (perfo rated with two holes, drilled at right angles with each other.

Fig. 4 represents such a modification of the plate b as requires but one clamping-screw, the shank of the plate being pivoted to the foot piece F, so that when the screw s is turned up to press the plate a against the heel that end of the plate b is moved back until the oval faced plate a also strikes the heel, as indicated by the red lines. This variety may be made in pairs it' desired.

Figs. 5 and 6 representstill another variety or modiication. In this the plate b is roughened on its face and becomes the clampingplate. Its shank c is slotted to receive the shank of the bindingscrew g, to which the eccentric hollow head f is pivoted. This head is provided with a liange on its upper side, which has several notches, i, to receive a small key or lever to turn it by; and, as it just ts between the projecting ears or lugs e, cast upon the shank o of plate b, when the head f is turned it carries the plate forward, as indicated by the red lines. let into a groove in the foot-piece F, causes the plate to preserve its direction. Either ot' these modifications are applicable to almost every variety of skate in use.

By my method ot' clamping a considerable portion of the heel is received between the clamping-plates, whereby the lifts of the heel will never be torn off, as they are liable to be when the ordinary sharp points or spurs are used; besides, the roughened clampingplates which I use are applicable to any boot without any preliminary preparation, such as making notches in the heels or attaching notched plates or devices thereto, which I am aware has heretofore been done. Besides, by myeonstruction and arrangement oftheparts, the clamping-screw or screws are placed under the hollow of the boot, and therefore can never catch against anything so as to trip the skater, which is of great importance to him.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

VrIhe plate b, provided with one or more clamping-screws, s, and plates a, in combination with the crescent plate d, when they are constructed, arranged, and operate conjointly, in the manner and for the purpose described.

['I. N. GALLAGHER.

Witnesses:

J. W. SMITH, CHARLES FAHLY.

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